Three Miles In This American Life

The episode“Three Miles” in This American Life tells a story that describes a classroom exchange between a public school:University Heights, and a private school: Fieldston. Both are schools located in the Bronx in New York City and are only three miles apart from one another; however, the divide between the schools is much greater than just their distance apart. While University Heights is in the country’s poorest congressional district, tuition at Fieldston is nearly $43,000 a year. At Fieldston 70% of the students are white and at University Heights, 97% are black and Hispanic(CITE). As students from Fieldston “go on to be politicians and run Walt Disney and The New York Times” (Chana Joffe-walt), the Students from University Heights cannot

imagine going to an elite school like Fieldston; The racial and economic divide between these schools depict the inequities` of today’s educational school system in America; a educational system that I continue to surpass at UCLA, despite coming from a place where education was not valued.
Similar to the episode of “Three Miles” in This American Life, My story of how I got to college is centered on disadvantaged, inner-city school education.

Born and raised by a single mother in East Los Angeles, my perception of going to college was at times inconceivable.

However, my dedication to my education and my diverse experiences in my youth are what have allowed me to overcome systematic barriers and get accepted to UCLA. The world I come from has not only propelled me get to college, but has shaped my understanding of the inequities and injustices of America’s educational system. I realize how socioeconomic status can hinder the capabilities of people because knowledge, opportunities, support, resources, and guidance are not always available to those who come from underserved communities.

In my community, El Sereno, college is viewed as an option as opposed to it being the next step in life. Most people in my area either begin working or start a family after they graduate from high school. Not always by choice, but in some cases by circumstance. Students in my neighborhood either lack the knowledge, financial support, guidance or even legal status that would otherwise drive them to apply or even go to college. About eighty-percent of students graduated from my high school, but only about twenty-percent ended up attending a four-year university (NINCHE). One of the biggest reasons for student’s low college entrance rate has to deal with their family's socioeconomic

status.
In low income homes, most students are obligated to support their families, meaning that they must work rather than invest time in studying. Unfortunately, many students cannot balance the stress from home and from school, often resorting in drop-outs. Thus, these students will not receive a college education, leaving them with low paying jobs. Once they try to start a family, their kids will probably have to work and help with financial stability. Ultimately, this forms a continuous cycle of generations being hindered from advancing in their education. Yet, the lack of academic support and family obligations students have are not the only barriers students from my community and similar communities have to face. One problem is funding resources and making these resources accessible to lower income regions.
Scarce resources made it hard for students at Wilson high school to get the best out of the academic and preparatory curriculum, forcing them to find other options instead of going to college. There was a limited amount of staff, teachers, materials, classes, and access to opportunities at my high school. Other high schools in more privileged areas had opportunities such as AP/SAT/ACT test preparation, tutoring, and college trips. I remember going into libraries and checking out the SAT/AP tests and finding resources online; when other students in other schools were able to attend review sessions that their school funded. In “Three Miles,” It stated that “Exposure can be used as a tool for social change and economic mobility” and through my experience, I find this to true and effective. I was exposed to a college setting and that demonstrated the importance of attaining a college degree.
Despite the fact that my high school was low-income, many outside programs provided guidance for a richer education. Programs such as: Upward Bound, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), and Escalera.Though these programs were helpful, there too were also limited in the amount of students they can support. Luckily, I was able to become involved with various programs and be supported in my hopes of going to college. My Freshman year of high school, I joined Associated Student Body (ASB), participated in community service, became a peer counselor, and began to take classes that would enhance my college applications. I took what others called “rigorous AP courses.” But I did not find them challenging due to the lack of AP course materials. Although, my high school’s academics were not up to par, I continued to be involved in college preparatory programs which enhanced my confidence and my perception of education. These programs guided me through the college application process and showed that going to college is possible. I became confident in my acceptance into a university and I was grateful because I knew that others did not have that type of support like my older sister.
As a child, I always looked up to my older sister for her dedication and commitment to pursue higher education.

She was my only support system and took on the responsibility of caring, disciplining, and raising me in ways that my mother could not. My older sister ensured that I completed my tasks at school and at home. Being only a year apart and aware that I was growing up right beside her, she made it her priority to do her best academically to demonstrate the importance of education[an aspect that we were not raised to value]. She was my inspiration to become college bound and to take advantage of the resources at my school. I learned how to be resourceful and utilize the outside programs to improve my academic performance to compensate for my high school’s inadequacy. The hardworking qualities that have been instilled in me by my older sister have helped me get into UCLA, but witnessing my mother struggle is what further motivates me to obtain a college

degree.
My mother was born in Mexico and immigrated illegally to the United States as a child. She finished high school and that is as far as she decided to go, or as far as she believed she could go. Growing up in Mexico, she never had the support, confidence, or opportunity to advance in her education. Cultural gender roles oppressed her from pursuing a higher education and brought her to believe that a woman’s role is to be a caretaker in the home. As a result, she started a family at a young age and worked three jobs to support my sister and I. Witnessing my mother struggle financially as a single mom without a college degree, I decided that I would not perpetuate my family’s history. I wanted to go to college because I like learning, but also want to become financially stable and independent.
Born and raised by a single mother in East Los Angeles, my perception of going to college seemed inconceivable. Even now, at UCLA, I struggle understand how is it that I have achieved this. I know that my background has not prepared for the academic rigor me when I encounter similar struggles now. Due to the lack of resources and support I received in high school, I sometimes feel disadvantaged. I was not as fully prepared as other students have been when I entered UCLA last quarter. My selection of universities was small being that I only applied to universities in which I had fee waivers for. I was unable to pay for the extra costs and I see that as a disadvantage as well. However, I believe I was accepted for a reason and I know UCLA saw something in me that made them believe I am capable. That single thought is what keeps me motivated and helps me push through the hard times. My motivation is what needs to be instilled in every low income student that is attending college.